Some Kentucky and southern Indiana physicians have been charged in what U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions calls the largest health care fraud takedown in the nation’s history.

The medical providers from Louisville and Evansville were indicted Thursday on multiple offenses, including illegally prescribing opioids, billing for unnecessary treatments, identity theft, and money laundering.

John Kuhn, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky, said at a news conference in Louisville that a small segment of the medical community is helping fuel the country’s opioid crisis.

"Health care providers are failing their patients and the larger community by contributing to the epidemic of heroin and opioid abuse," stated Kuhn. "We know that 80 percent of heroin and opioid addicts begin by misusing prescription opioid pain killers."

Seven physicians from Louisville and two from Evansville have been indicted as a result of a nationwide health care fraud operation.